Sunday, November 29, 2009

Converse Jack Purcells have been my favorite weekend sneakers for many many years. I strongly prefer the Jack Purcells to the All-Stars (I hate how flat they are...they make feet look one size bigger), so I'm excited that Converse has started to expand on this alternative classic style.

I just discovered Jack Purcell Sequins! I love wearing heels when I go out at night, but there have definitely been many occasions when I have wanted to find an outfit that allowed me to wear my super comfy and beat-up Jack Purcells. These amazing sequins sneakers would go perfectly with dark skinny jeans, a sexy silk tunic, and a cropped leather jacket. A style tip for using sequins...definitely don't wear more than once piece with sparkle on it!

The Jack Purcell Sequins come in white, athletic navy, black, and silver at Converse.com for $90. Converse is running a special promotion until November 30 that offers 20% off.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

I am constantly interested in the way that the impact of blogs grows in the fashion world.

A continuous theme throughout my observations about blogging and fashion is studying the way that bloggers have changed the way that the general fashion-loving public has access to high fashion. Fashion bloggers are being recognized as cyber-stylists who make picks and critique designs just like the highest paid editors and fashion industry leaders do.

Coach is featuring a project on their website called Blog-A-Day where they feature a different fashion and style blog each day. Blogs appreciate being recognized by designers and designers are starting to appreciate being recognized by blogs!

Shopaholics Daily, which is run by my blogger friends Aly and Kori, has been selected to be featured in Coach's Blog-A-Day and in conjunction is hosting a Giveaway for a free Coach Audrey bag in purple (valued at $598).

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Shopping in New York City can be overwhelming if you are visiting OR if you live there and have no idea how to start sifting through the amazing amounts of retail everywhere.

Everyone knows about the huge discount retailers (H&M, Century 21, Filene's Basement) and famous department stores (Barney's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Henri Bendel's) but my favorites have always been the boutiques. Most NY boutiques are fairly expensive, but it's so fun to fall in love with your favorite one and invest in unique pieces from up-and-coming designers.

Refinery29 has been publishing a series about "The Best NYC Boutiques" that I have to share with you! I've been wanting to do my own version for SoHo and Brooklyn, so maybe this will inspire to me to finally get around to that...although it will be much harder from the West Coast...

Monday, November 23, 2009

When I find a shoe designer that I love and can afford, I really get stuck on them! (Have you seen my five million Melissa posts?)

Right now I seem to have a shoe crush on Dolce Vita. The best news ever is that Dolce Vita is having a Friends and Family sale online until Tuesday, Nov. 24. Enter the coupon code "friendsfam" at checkout to receive 25% off of your entire order.

That only gives you two days to pick out your favorite rocker booties! If you're not in to the leather and studs that are everywhere this season, you probably should just skip this one...

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Sequins used to always be associated with formal occasions, but now I love all of the styles that mix dressy with casual. You can choose all-over sequins like a flashy mini, but my favorites are the pieces that just have an accent of shimmer on a shoulder or a hemline of a soft sweater. I like the contrast in textures of the soft knit and the hard metallic sequins.

I just read an interesting article about Apple's success in customer service and retail experience. I don't understand why everyone hasn't adopted the customer service business model...shouldn't providing a positive customer experience be a priority for all businesses, whether they be restaurants, pharmacies, boutiques, electronics stores, or any other sort of retail establishment?

We live in an internet world, so I do think that Nordstrom needs to update their customer service model to include more web-related interfaces. Not everyone wants to deal with a human face-to-face when they are shopping, but they still want a happy and pleasing experience.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Q: I am looking for men's shoes options that are somewhere between Chuck Taylors and dress shoes to wear everyday to a business-casual office. I want to be able to wear them with slacks and a shirt not tucked in. Do you have any ideas?

HK: Yes! I am so excited to receive a men's fashion question!

This situation is very common and I know that lots of men only have athletic shoes or dress shoes in their closet. It's important to have something in-between that you can wear out to dinner or to a semi-casual office setting. You can dress them up with khakis or dress them down with jeans.

I suggest finding a pair of casual brown leather slip-ons or lace-ups with rubber soles. These casual leather shoes are a cross between athletic shoes and business shoes because the leather gives them a dressier look and the supportive structure gives them an athletic feel. These types of shoes are extremely comfortable for everyday use and look much better with wool or cotton pants than sneakers.

Good brands to check out for options are Merrell and Cole Haan, but there are a ton of options out there that are similar. Lots of hiking and athletic shoe brands are making these styles now to offer men more options between suits and jeans.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Now you can sign up for a newsletter that will email you with my new posts when they are published. For those of you who don't like visiting websites all the time to see if they have been updated, this will make it a lot easier for you.

I post new articles only a few times a week, so you definitely won't get a flooded inbox...but if I have something exciting to share with you (like an amazing flash sale that is about to end!) then you will hear about it right away!

To sign up for the Hello Kelli updates, enter your email address to the right in the "Subscribe for Updates" box and press "subscribe." Make sure to add hello.kelli@gmail.com to your Contacts so your newsletter doesn't get sent to your Spam folder!

So far all of you ladies (myself included) who weren't able to make it to the Jimmy Choo for H&M launch in 200 stores nationwide today, my friend Julia at Fashion Pulse Daily has a full and complete report to share with you. She addresses the predictable mayhem at the midtown Manhattan store and her tips for creating a more successful collection in the future. Thanks Julia!

I also heard from a shoe-obsessed friend in Seattle that Jimmy Choo didn't make it to the Pacific Northwest...was anyone else waiting for this day only to find that the collection was unavailable in their area of the world? If only they had H&M online...

Thursday, November 5, 2009

I just got the cutest DV by Dolce Vita shoes at the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale!

Black suede open-toe cage booties for only $65.90...what an exciting find! They also come in gray suede, which would look great with black opaque tights. I can't wait to wear them out! They're kind of like a toned-down version of the open-toe platform booties that Carrie Underwood wore on Good Morning America yesterday...

I tried these on and they are also really cute, but I already have enough black boots. They're super soft leather and pull-on, so they would be perfect with skinny jeans or leggings. I would definitely wear them with denim leggings!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

I've been a big fan of Nordstrom sales ever since I was a little girl. It's probably part of being from the Pacific Northwest since Nordie's is such an integrated part of the culture up there, but I always mark my calendar for the first day of their famous Anniversary and Half-Yearly sales. Even with all of the shopping in New York, I actually missed Nordstrom when I was living there because they are so consistent and have great customer service (which you definitely won't find in Manhattan.) The sales are the best!

The Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale for women and children starts today at Nordstrom stores and online. Pre-Fall merchandise in all departments (Savvy and t.b.d. are my favorite!) is on sale for about 33%-40% off.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

My absolute favorite t-shirt designer LnA will be featured on flash sale website ideeli on Friday, November 6 at noon (I think that is East coast time...not 100% positive on that).

I usually stock up on LnA basics whenever I can find them in my size on sale. They always have a fairly decent selection on Bluefly.com, but I'm excited to see what kind of prices they have on ideeli...I'm hoping for 40% off??

Everyone has their favorite t-shirt brand, and LnA is definitely mine! My favorites are the deep v short sleeve and long sleeve tees, which I collect in all of the various colors. I just love the super soft thin fabric in simple styles that are great for layering. I discovered LnA two years ago when they came out with their first collection and were fiarly difficult to track down...but now I am happy to see them popping up everywhere!

This year they have added to their collection with fabulous zippered leggings (that I have gushed about before...), riding pants, cozy fleece hoodies, and a t-shirt dress.